Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Remember when we picked all these peaches? (btw, that is Mama Peppermint) Well besides canning a lot of peaches, we also used the peels to start a peach vinegar and used some of them to make a spicy peach vinegar ala Mrs. Reppert! The spicy peach recipe was inspired by the book Mrs. Reppert’s Twelve Month Herbal and I received permission to share it with you all

Insert enough small size peaches to fill up a wide mouthed-jar. Then add several whole cinnamon sticks, 1/4 cup of whole cloves, and 1/2 cup of sugar. Completely cover with white vinegar ( I used homemade apple cider vinegar) and set in the sun ( I left mine on countertop). I started mine at the end of August and just strained it out. What a lovely rich color and the taste is heavenly!

I can’t wait to try mine as a lovely Peach Honeygar, one of the ways Mrs. Reppert suggested to use it. Other ways being a dollop in marinades, in sauces, in yogurt for a dressing for fresh fruit compotes, added to coleslaw, and to enhance gravies.

The peaches themselves will be used as garnishes

The peach peel vinegar was made in another jar

I just filled this jar with the peach peels, covered the peels with spring water, added a couple big spoons of our bees honey, and about 1/2 cup of our homemade vinegar with a nice piece of the mother with it. A piece of cheesecloth is used to cover it, so air can still get in. I also started this at the end of August and just got around to straining it. ( I had been checking on it, periodically to make sure the fluid level was still good in it)

Such a beautiful and lovely, light tasting peachy vinegar!

For those of you unfamiliar with the term honeygar, it is about 1 tablespoon of raw unfiltered honey, and one tablespoon of vinegar, in a glass of water that is just warm enough to make the honey mixable without being so hot it destroys the benefits of the honey. You can either sip it while warm or serve it cold. Very delicious and very good for you.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

I love to have a healthy breakfast of using either quinoa, steel cut oats, or groats, but frankly, find it a nuisance to take the time to stand there and watch and stir the pot first thing in the morning, while trying to get things in order so I can dash out the door to tend Dylan and Ariana. While looking for oat recipes this morning, I happened upon a way of cooking that is new to me, and I can see where I will be incorporating this method often from now on. Thermos Cooking! On the site you will find this is an energy efficient, and time saving manner in which to cook oats, millet, quinoa, pastas, and other things. I am sure I will be making the oats, quinoa, and groats methods often, and like the idea it is something I can do and take with me on the run if I am running late. Just adding whatever extras like dried fruits, cinnamon, honey, or milk, and I will have a power packed breakfast I can slurp on the run or wait and share with the children.

First I filled my thermos with boiling water. This makes your thermos hot so when you add the boiling cooking water, that water can actually start cooking your oats, not loosing heat energy on heating up the thermos… I left mine in the thermos about 5 minutes and then poured the water back into the teakettle and it only took a few seconds to bring it back to boil. I halved the recipe and used 1/2 cup of the steel cut oats and 1 and 3/4 cups of boiling water. Added all of this to the thermos and put it on its side and waited 40 minutes, shaking periodically as I passed by while doing other chores…

One perfectly cooked, fuss free bowl of oats for breakfast:)

The next thing I have to share comes from Elizabeth Gowing, who wrote the book, Travels in Blood and Honey; Becoming a Beekeeper in Kosovo. Honey Apple pie with honey pastry. Oh my!!! Follow the link for the recipes!

And speaking of apples… Sarah, of Tales of a Kitchen Herbwife, shared some luscious apple recipes on a recent post you will find at that link:)

One last link is to my friend Anke’s fab site Herbology. In this post she gives us several delectable cordial recipes and a wonderful natural cleaner recipe using lemons:)

Well I must dash, my brother Eric is hosting friends of ours from out of town and I want to go visit with them:) More fabulous finds later!